Traction sprayer



May 27, 1941. F. R'; ELLIOTT TRACTION SPRAYER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 17,- 1936 III R. ELLIOTT 2,243,597

- TRACTION SPRAYER OriginaIFiled July 17, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 m Q Q Q Patented May 27, 1941 TRACTION SPRAYER Frank R. Elliott, Ashland, Ohio, assignor to The F. E. Myers & Bro. Company, Ashland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Griginal application July 17, 1936, Serial No. 91,166. Divided and this application November 10, 1937, Serial No. 173,890

3 Claims.

This invention relates to spraying devices, and in particular, to traction sprayers which operate automatically as the sprayer is moved.

One object of this invention is to provide a traction sprayer having wheels for supporting the sprayer, these Wheels being adapted to be mounted either upon the outside of the frame of the sprayer so as to give a wide tread, or upon the inside thereof to give a narrow tread, thereby enabling the sprayer to be used for spraying plants or other articles with either wide or narrow spaces between rows.

Another object is to provide a traction sprayer having a removable axle and wheels removably arranged thereon in such a manner that the axle may be temporarily removed from the frame in order to shift the wheels from outside to inside the frame, whereupon the axle is replaced, thereby adapting the sprayer to operate in fields having either widely-spaced or narrowly-spaced rows of plants.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 91,166, filed July 17, 1936.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation in perspective of the traction spraying device of this invention, showing one of the multiple spray nozzle arrangements in position for spraying a plant, and the other multiple spray nozzle assembly in its folded position.

Figure 2 is a front elevation in perspective of the traction sprayer shown in Figure 1, but with a single nozzle mounted on each side of the machine, at the front thereof, in place of the multiple nozzle assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the traction sprayer shown in Figure 1, showing a pair of multiple nozzle assemblies in position for spraying a double row of plants or other articles.

Figure 4 is a central vertical section through the sprayer shown in Figure 3, taken along the line 44 thereof.

Figure 5 is a central vertical section through the spray pump for pumping the spraying fluid from the tank to the spray nozzle.

In general, the traction sprayer of this device consists of a tank mounted upon wheels which may be placed either inside or outside the frame of the sprayer, so as to enable the sprayer to be used for spraying plants or other articles in rows with either wide or narrow separations. The wheels of the sprayer are drivingly connected to operate a pump as the sprayer is advanced, as by a horse or a tractor. The pump thus operated withdraws fluid from the tank and pumps it, by way of a cushion chamber and a combination valve, to a spray nozzle, the valve being arranged so that it may be set in one position to discharge the fluid into the spray nozzle, and in another position to cut off the discharge from the spray nozzle and by-pass it back into the tank. The combination valve is also provided with a relief device adapted to discharge the excess fluid back into the tank when the pressure in the nozzle line exceeds the setting pressure of the relief device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1, 2 and 4 show the traction sprayer of this invention as consisting of a base frame l0 having a forwardly extended portion II for attachment to a horse or tractor, as by a connection made through the hole l2 therein. Mounted upon this base frame [0 are journals i3 (Figure 3), having overhanging portions l4 adapted to protect the journals I3. Mounted for rotation in the journals I3 is an axle I 5 having wheels I6 0n the opposite ends thereof. The wheels I6 are removably mounted upon the ends of the axle I5 in such a manner that they may be taken off and replaced inside the base frame I0 between the opposing journals 13. In Figure 1 the outer position of the wheels is shown in solid lines, designated l6, and the inner position in dotted lines, designated l6a. By this arrangement the tread of the machine is narrowed to such an extent that the sprayer may be employed in very narrow spaces between rows of plants or other articles arranged closer together.

Mounted on the axle I5 is a sprocket I! (Figure 4) engaging a, sprocket chain ill, the oppo site end of which passes around a driven sprocket 19. The driven sprocket 19 (Figure 1) is mounted upon a countershaft 20 supported in a pivoted shaft hanger 2|, having pivot bosses 22 arranged to move pivotally upon the pivot rod 23. The latter is secured between the frame uprights 24 and 25 rising from the base frame I9. An additional frame upright 26 rises from the opposite side of the base frame H] from the upright 25.

The free end of the shaft hanger 2| is provided with an adjusting screw 21, which passes through the shaft hanger 2| and engages the'frame cross member 28 (Figure 1). Consequently, when the adjusting screw 21 is turned the free end of the shaft hanger 21 is moved in one direction or the other, thereby tightening or loosening the sprocket chain I8 by varying the distance between the axle l5 and the countershaft 20.

Mounted upon the opposite end of the countershaft 20 from the sprocket I9 is a pulley 29 having a belt 39 arranged to drive a pulley 3| upon the agitator shaft 32. The latter is journalled, as at 33, (Figure 3) in the side wall of the tank 34 and carries on its inner end an agitator 35 adapted to agitate the contents of the tank 34 as the traction sprayer advances. The agitator 35 may consist of paddle blades adapted to perform this agitating function. Mounted on the end of the countershaft 2E, adjacent the sprocket I9, is a crank 36 (Figure 1), having a crank pin 31 extending outwardly therefrom and engaged by the crosshead 38 of the pump plunger 39 (Figure The upper end of the pump plunger 39 of the pump, generally designated 46, passes through a gland 4! and enters a casing head 42 attached to the pump barrel @3. A packing 44 encircles the pump plunger 39 and is compressed by the gland ll in such a manner as to prevent leakage at that point. The pump plunger 39 is provided at its lower end with a piston head 45 and a check valve 58. The fluid pumped by the piston head 45 passes into the connection 48 having the terminal is of the fluid pipe 50 se cured thereto, as by the threaded ring 5|.

To the lower end of the pump barrel 43 is secured a head 53 having a ball check valve SI adapted to close a passageway 62 leading into a chamber '53 to which the supply pipe 6-5 is attached (Figure 4) as at the connection 55. The

head 56 is provided at its lower end with a tongue 68, through which passes a pivot pin 6'! supported by the bifurcated bracket 38 having its base portion secured to the base frame It, as by the bolts 58. The opposite end of the supply pipe 64 is attached, as at '13, to the outlet ll of the tank 35, whereas the opposite end of the pipe at is attached to the connecting pipe E2 of the air chamber I3. The latter is mounted, as by the bolts I4 (Figure 4), upon the upper frame cross member I5 secured to and extending between the vertical frame members 24, and 26.

The fluid pumped by the pump to passes from the tank 3 3, through the pipe 54 and thc pump 49 (Figure 4), into the pipe 58, and thence into the air chamber 73 as the wheels 36 rotate the axle i5 and cause the crank pin 3'1 to reciprocate by the intermediate action of the sprocket chain 58 upon the sprocket I9. The fluid pumped into the air chamber I3 leaves it through the connection $3 and passes through the pipe 94 to the control valve, generally designated 95. Beyond the control valve 95, the fluid passes into the Y-connection S6 and the pipes 9! (Figures 3 and 4) to the discharge pipes 98. The outer ends of the discharge pipes 98 may be connected either directly to the nozzle tips 99 (Figure 2) or to the multiple nozzle arrangement, generally designated I 99, consisting of the four-way connection IGI having a nozzle tip I92 attached to one branch thereof and the pipes H33 attached to two of the remaining ports of the four-way connection NH. The remaining port of the connection IN is attached to the end of the discharge pipe 83, and the outer ends of the pipes at terminate in the obliquely directed nozzle tips N35.

The discharge pipes 98 are supported in clamps Hi3 mounted upon the vertical frame uprights Ill. By loosening the set screws II3 the discharge pipes 98 may be moved horizontally, and by loosening the set screws I I4 the entire spray nozzle assembly may be moved vertically along the uprights III (Figure 3). The tank 36 is supported upon a cross memberIiE extending between the obliquely directed frame members I IS. The latter terminate at their upper ends in the handles HT, and intermediately are interconnected by the frame cross member I5. The lower ends of the frame members II6 are interconnected by the axle I I8, upon which is mounted the wheel H9. The frame uprights III are additionally interconnected by the horizontal frame member I20, from which the members I2I (Figures 2 and 4) extend rearwardly to the member I22 surrounding the filling aperture I23 of the tank 34.

The tank 34 rests in a cradle formed by the straps I24 attached at their lower ends to the frame cross member H5 and at their upper ends to the frame cross member IS. The rods I25, secured attheir opposite ends to these same members and passing over the top of the tank, hold the tank securely against the straps I24.

rranged within the filling aperture I23 of the tank 34 is a filling closure member I26, having a strainer I2'i' at the lower portion thereof and a cover I28 with a handle I29 thereon.

The operation of the traction spraying device as a whole is self evident from the operation which has been described in connection with its various parts. A horse or a tractor is attached to the front portion II of the base frame, and the traction sprayer is caused to advance between the rows of plants or other articles to be sprayed. The nozzles having been properly adjusted, according to the particular arrangement of plants to be sprayed, the valve is turned into the position where it will pass fluid from the pipe 94 to the pipes 91 and 98. The rotation of the wheels Iii then operates the pump 40 through the intermediate action of the sprockets I1 and It, the sprocket chain I8 and the crank pin 3: on the crank 36. The pump pumps the fluid from the tank 34, through the pipes 64 and 58, to the air chamber 13, where the pulsations of the pump are eliminated. The fluid passes on ward through the pipe 94, into the valve 95, and thence through the connection 95 and flexible pipe 97, and discharge pipe 9:! to the various nozzles. Meanwhile, the agitator 35 is rotated by the same action, and maintains the contents of the tank 34 in a thoroughly mixed condition, thus preventing settling of any solid ingredients which may be employed in the fluid.

In the event that the plants or other objects to be sprayed are placed in rows so close together that the normal position of the wheels H5 will not permit the sprayer to pass between the rows, the wheels I6 may be removed from their position on the outside of the base frame It and placed on the inside, in the manner shown in dotted lines 560, in Figure 1. This is done by removing the axle I5 from its journals I3 and sprocket I'I, placing the wheels IS within the base frame I9 and then replacing the axle I5 and tightening the various wheels and sprocket I'I thereon.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as come within the scope of the claims and the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a traction spraying machine, a frame having a rectangular shaped base comprising laterally spaced bars, a tank for holding spray liquid, a pump and spray nozzle operatively connected to said tank, a removable axle of substantially uniform diameter mounted on, said frame, aligned journals attached closely adjacent the underside of said bars for rotatably supporting said axle, traction wheels slidably received on the axle and fixed to rotate said axle, said bars being sufficiently spaced from each other to enable said wheels to be mounted unobstructively on the axle within the space between the bars, said tank being so vertically spaced above said frame that the wheels clear the tank when placed between said bars, said axle being of a length so that the wheels are mountable thereon outside said bars and adjacent the ends of said axle, and separate means drivingly connected to said axle for operating said pump to force spray fluid through said nozzle.

2. In a traction spraying machine, a frame having a rectangular shaped base comprising laterally spaced bars, a tank for holding spray liquid, a pump and spray nozzle operatively connected to said tank, a removable axle of substantially uniform diameter mounted on said frame, aligned journals attached closely adjacent the underside of said bars for rotatably supporting said axle, a pair of traction wheels slidably received on the axle and fixed to rotate said axle, said bars being suificiently spaced from each other to enable said wheels to be mounted unobstructively on the axle within the space between the bars, said tank being so vertically spaced above said frame that the wheels clear the tank when placed between said bars, said axle comprising a length to enable the wheels to be mounted thereon outside the bars adjacent the ends of said axle, and separate means drivingly connected to said axle including a sprocket and chain mechanism for operating said pump.

3. In a traction spraying machine, a frame having a rectangular shaped base comprising laterally spaced bars, a tank for holding spray liquid, a pump and spray nozzle operatively connected to said tank, aligned journals mounted on the underside of said bars, an axle of substantially uniform diameter rotatably supported in said journals, a pair of traction wheels slidably received on said axle and fixed to rotate said axle, said bars being sufiiciently spaced from each other to enable said Wheels to be mounted unobstructively on the axle within the space between the bars, said tank being so vertically spaced above said frame that the wheels clear the tank when placed between said bars, said axle extending out beyond said laterally spaced bars so that the wheels can be mounted thereon outside the bars and adjacent the end of said axle, and separate means drivingly connected to said axle for operating said pump.

FRANK R. ELLIOTT. 

